1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a variant of live card games various known as Baccarat, Baccara, or Chemin de Fer.
2. Statement of the Problem
Baccarat is an old live card game originating in Italy. Modern variants of Baccarat are played worldwide and the more popular variants are Baccarat, Chemin de Fer, Punto Banco, Baccarat-en-Banque, Scarney Baccarat, and CALIFORNIA BACCARAT.TM..
In Chemin de Fer, a player banks the game, whereas in Baccarat the house banks the game. In Chemin de Fer, the house provides a dealer and collects a commission such as 5%. In Baccarat, a player can bet on the bank winning or on the player winning. If the player wins, all bets on the player are paid at 1:1. If the bank wins, all bets are paid at 19:20. These games are fully explained in Chapters 16 and 17 of "Scarne's New Complete Guide to Gambling" by John Scarne (pgs. 459-489) (1974). Many players throughout the world are fully familiar with the rules of Baccarat and Chemin de Fer, especially the card drawing rules for the player and for the bank.
The variants of Baccarat are designed to increase the excitement and participation in playing the game by the players and thereby to increase the profitability of the game to the casino. A need exists to improve on Baccarat by offering a casino variant that has greater player participation and appeal yet adheres to the traditional rules, especially the card drawing rules of Baccarat. A need exists to have a casino variant where the dealer (casino) is not the bank and where the bank is capable of moving from player to player to more closely conform to Chemin de Fer. A patentability search has been conducted on the invention described here and the results are as follows.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,411,268 provides a live card game using a standard 52-card deck. In the '268 invention, the dealer deals the cards and does not act as the banker. One of the players acts as the banker. Before the play of the game commences, the "player banker" and the "action player" are chosen randomly through a random selection device such as the roll of dice. A "banker" button is placed before the banker player (a button labeled B) and an "action button" is placed before the action player (a button labeled A). Even though a player has been selected to be the banker through this randomizing process, that player has the option to decline. Once a player agrees to be banker he is the banker for a predetermined set number of plays, and thereafter the position of banker rotates around the table to subsequent players in a predetermined manner. The location of the action player button determines which player will play first against the player banker. The action then rotates from the first player to the next player in a predetermined order of rotation. If the player banker exhaust the funds on the table before him, that round of play terminates even though the remaining players have not completed their play in that hand. The '268 invention is directed to separating the dealt cards to a player into first and second hands.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,395,119 sets forth wagering methods for Baccarat. The '119 patent provides a variation to Baccarat wherein different types of "surrender" are provided wherein a player may surrender a portion of the bet depending on the value of the first two cards of the player and the banker hands. A separate surrender region is placed on the gaming table. This variant provides additional types of wagers that may be placed during the play of the game to increase the interest on the part of the players and to increase the profitability of the game for the casino.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,262,064 pertains to a modification of Baccarat. This modification eliminates the conventional 5% commission charged by the gaming establishment. The '064 invention also allows side wagers to be added to the game. The '064 invention also provides a variation to Baccarat wherein the player's and the bank's hands operate under the same criteria as to whether a third card is or is not dealt to each respective hand. In yet another variant, the '064 patent uses a mechanical randomizing device to establish a "push" or "bar" situation for what otherwise would be a winning hand. Finally, the '064 patent permits side wagers to be added to the game. A player may make an additional wager on his hand with respect to a tie or for a natural situation.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,395,120; 5,328,189; and 5,265,882 allow a player to play a casino game simultaneously against a dealer and other players. Under the teachings of these inventions, a player can simultaneously play draw poker against the dealer and either twenty-one or Baccarat against other players.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,259 sets forth a pari-mutuel electronic and live table game wherein players compete against each other to win a common pool. They do not wager against the house. In this environment, the house retains a pre-established commission.
CALIFORNIA BACCARAT.TM. from Casino Gaming Systems, Inc., modifies the drawing rules for the players and the acting banker and provides certain discretionary rules. In CALIFORNIA BACCARAT.TM. the cards are dealt face down and all players simultaneously play against the acting banker. If the bank becomes exhausted in the payout (which occurs in a predetermined manner around the table), then it is possible that players who have won will not collect. Such players have their wagers returned.
None of the prior art approaches set forth above suggest or disclose the variant to Baccarat of the present invention.